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User blog:Monkey Doctor 33/In the Blood of the Mountain King! Azog (Hobbit Trilogy) vs Belegar Ironhammer
Feuds. Sometimes, they can be a temporary expression of hate. In other times, they can be a long-standing war of attrition between people for whatever reason they have. Nobody really wants to have them nowadays, but not in the realm of fiction. In this season's first battle in this new year, we will witness yet another fantasy battle between two grandiose lords of two races that always hate each other, even in their own universes! Today, Azog, the Defiler returns from the dead to spill some more dwarven blood! He was able to fulfill his oath of slaughtering members of Durin's Folk, ending them with Thorin Oakenshield. However, Azog faces an entirely different King Under the Mountain this time. One from a different race of dwarves, a different clan of warriors, and a different world altogether. From his valiant death, Belegar Ironhammer returns as the True King of Karak Eight Peaks, seeking vengeance upon the orcs, goblins, and rat-men who defiled his supposed seat of power! He won't find any Skaven here, but he is still content to slay a wretched warlord from a race his kind has always loathed! Without further ado, let us jump right into the battle! Azog, the enormous Gundabad orc and servant of Sauron who sought the end of Durin's Folk, killing his way through Middle-Earth with his size and strength! vs Belegar Ironhammer, Clan Angrund's fierce leader who marched towards his doom in an attempt to recover one of the greatest dwarven holds of all! In this battle between grudge-filled fantasy warriors... Who is DEADLIEST? Warrior Information Azog Azog was an infamous white orc who had control over the orcs of Moria and later, nearly all of them. A huge and terrifying chieftain, Azog became a nightmarish foe to the dwarves ever since he beheaded Thror in the Battle of Azanulbizar. He drove King Thrain mad and nearly killed Thorin if it wasn't for his resistance, cutting off the Pale Orc's hand. Afterward, he embarked on a journey of vengeance against Thorin and his comrades, who were also accompanied by Gandalf and Bilbo Baggins. He managed to kill and wound a few of them either by himself or his army, eventually gaining his triumph over Durin's Folk by killing Thorin once and for all. Such a deed would kill himself, however. Belegar Ironhammer Belegar Ironhammer was the leader of the Angrund clan and direct descendant of Karak Eight Peaks' last king. Karak Eight Peaks was a magnificent dwarf hold that even rivaled the Karaz-a-Karak, the dwarfs' ancestral capital. Yet for all its glory, it fell to the hands of both Skaven and Night Goblin miscreants. Attempts to retake it was done to no avail until Belegar arrived and attempted the latest straw in such effort. With an army of rune-encrusted warriors and heavy artillery, the Dwarf King assaulted brutally contested areas against the menaces that plagued his ancestral home. His quest soon became a long war where he had to contend with the bigger numbers of his enemies. Despite his bravery and his army's might, Belegar failed to capture the City of Pillars and died mid-way through the End Times. Equipment Azog Ball and Chain= In his final fight, Azog wielded a giant ball and chain against Thorin. Clearly it's not very practical since even Azog himself kind of struggled in using it. However, its power compensates its lack of accuracy and speed to a degree. Though his strength can't hasten the weapon's swing time any faster, it still benefits from his muscle power as it can shatter ice formations and shoot out fragments out of them like cannonball splinters. Expect it to do a ton of environmental damage in this battle. Expect it to miss out a good many blows, too. It should be noted that Thorin, as a Middle-Earth dwarf, is actually nimbler than Belegar so he can dodge Azog's swings. Yes, I know Thorin is taller, but he's also slimmer. |-| Mace= Before the ball and chain, Azog primarily used a giant mace to slaughter his enemies. He will bring his classic mace to this battle, just as he did in the last movie. As a secondary weapon? Sure, if the ball and chain won't budge. Azog's mace is a more effective instrument of death than the ball and chain, but it lacks the catastrophic power it has. He has knocked Gandalf down with the object despite being paralyzed, destroyed an oak branch in three swings, easily dislodged shields from warriors, and sent scores of armored warriors flying with single swings. Because it is a blunt weapon, it ignores most forms of armor. Unfortunately, his opponent here isn't wearing any kind of flimsy third-world plate armor. |-| Prosthetic Sword= Azog replaced his regular prosthetic claw into a sword when the conquest of Erebor was in hand. It can be presumed to be made of iron and has properties similar to a short sword. Its design seems to imply a weapon more suited for slashing, but Azog stabbed Thorin dead in the chest with that thing through his chainmail armor. It's also sharp enough to penetrate through thick ice, perhaps more due to Azog's power. It works wonders against lighter forms of armor and it has a small extra blade sticking out of his elbow. What purpose does it serve? A little bit of reverse-backstabbing, perhaps? Eh, it's too small to do that. Belegar Ironhammer Hammer of Angrund= The Hammer of Angrund, otherwise known as the Ironhammer, is an ancestral weapon passed through members of the titular clan and the rulers of Karak Eight Peaks. As the latest in the line of Ironhammers, Belegar always brings this weapon with him. Though it is a powerful weapon that can turn stone to dust, it doesn't seem to be engraved with enhancement runes that give it special properties. Is it made of gromril? Perhaps. Gromril is used to craft rare weapons and Dwarf Kings are, well, rare. It can rend normal armor asunder, including its elven equal known as ithilmar, knock out stupid orcs or outright blow up their heads in a swing, and stagger larger foes. Larger than dwarfs, yes, and there are many creatures in the world larger than them. |-| Shield of Defiance= The Shield of Defiance lifts up to its name by defying attacks that could easily kill a regular dwarf. The shield is struck with potent protection runes that served him well up to his death. Dislodging Belegar of his shield is possible and easy when he's tired, but good luck trying to break it. It can turn away the mauls of a giant's club, take absolutely no damage when struck with a Troll's acidic vomit, and even resist getting eaten by a cave squig slightly bigger than him. Magic powers aside, the Shield of Defiance itself is a large shield. At least for Belegar. It covers quite a lot of his body and fares as well against conventional weapons as against more unnatural attacks. Rifle shots, arrows, bolts, and small arms fire, all can be beaten back by the shield with relative ease. X-Factors Experience Compared to his contemporary Dwarf Kings, Belegar was a relatively young figure. He mobilized to retake Karak Eight Peaks meager years before the End Times and his prior experience was unknown. As a king, he's expected to have been an experienced warrior and capable tactician, so it can be assumed that he had led dwarven armies and fought alongside them against the likes of Greenskins and Chaos forces. He's no rookie, still. Even 'til the End Times, Belegar spent the rest of his life trying to reclaim his birthright from nefarious Night Goblin forces and the Skaven's Clan Mors. To put into perspective, Belegar had to deal with occasional giants tagging along Skarsnik's army, Night Goblin Fanatics who wield wrecking balls that can shatter even tough dwarven battle lines, goblins who ride giant spiders, and many more orc-goblin creatures. Against the Skaven, he had effectively held his own against one of the biggest clans to ever dwell the Skavendom, facing literal tides of rat warriors and their monstrous war beasts in a war that he never could win. He survived against death traps, super-weapons, and intricate plots for years until he went down fighting Clan Mors' most notorious warlord, Queek Headtaker. Thanks to Peter Jackson's creative liberty, Azog ended up being a major villain in the movies instead of a supposedly strong figure who had died before the book even started. Before the Battle of Azalnulbizar, it had been apparent that Azog was already a fearsome leader, to begin with. He led a huge contingent of orcs in the defense of Moria and banished many dwarven warriors to the void of death, including Thorin's father. He lost the battle to Thorin after his hand got cut off and returned years later for another go. He participated in multiple skirmishes against Bilbo and his party, squared off against his nemesis, led his orcs in more battles, and finally, participating in the dreaded Battle of Five Armies where he had commanded legions of orcs, giants, and ogres before he lost in his final battle against Thorin. Physicality Azog is the largest orc in the movie universe's Middle-Earth. He possesses superhuman strength and he could overpower peak human warriors without difficulty. With a single swing, he knocked back three armored dwarf warriors and disarmed Thrain and Thorin of their metal shields. With three swings, he broke apart an oak branch but screamed like a girl the moment his hand was hacked. His size grants him an advantage in combat in addition to a profound psychological impact, allowing him to soak up quite some damage. He's not without his flaws, however. For a record, Azog's not as strong as the likes of Grommash Hellscream and he could still be momentarily overpowered. When Thorin threw his ball weapon back to him, he seemed to struggle holding it up for a bit. He too couldn't survive a stab to the heart from a dwarven sword, but he could survive freezing cold waters and break apart ice floors with a single leap. If there are any more indications of his vulnerability, take a look at all those scars on his face. To put it bluntly, Belegar has no feats of physicality to speak of. However, he is actually pretty tough if scaling is to be used. Regular dwarfs are sturdier and more durable than normal humans. Dwarf warriors are capable of taking lots of punishment from arrows to getting back up from the charge of a horde of knights and orcs. Hammerers, bodyguards to Dwarf Kings, can break apart hordes of enemies (mostly greenskins) with their two-handed hammers and those hammers are considered regular. Belegar's Hammer of Angrund? One can only wonder what it can do knowing what normal dwarf hammers can do. In his last battle against Queek Headtaker, the weakened king briefly matched the less exhausted warlord with blows that can turn stone to dust (he only has his hammer, mind you) and delivered an armor-piercing swing with a sword while dying. Say, the Skaven are weaker than the dwarfs no matter what class they're at, right? That's not a wrong statement, but Queek there was in his prime, fresh and all, fighting against Belegar. Despite his weakness, though, he was still injured in the aftermath. Since Belegar will be in his prime for this battle, expect a surprising amount of stamina to accompany him, courtesy of his long battles in the Eight Peaks. Don't think he'll move as fast as an athlete, though. Skill and Training Azog is more of a fighter than a scholar, and that's a good thing. In wars, Azog was a surprisingly decent tactician who knew where and when to strike at the enemy, as Battle of Five Armies' showed. He knew how to use intimidation and taunts as weapons if Belegar understood what he's saying and hadn't fought worse beings than him. Azog specialized more on open and direct warfare, and dueling against him was the worst thing a warrior could expect in his days. Ironhammer had been formally trained in the ways of war by other veteran dwarfs before he grew up, therefore having knowledge of how to fight well in a world where dragons bigger than houses prowl and eldritch demons walk the material plane. He was described as a specialist in underground combat and was said to be cunning enough to match his trickster enemies, Skarsnik and Queek. This is no underground battle, but Belegar is no slouch in normal combat by all means. His skills were said to be only surpassed by the Slayer King, Ungrim Ironfist. What can Ungrim Ironfist do, you ask? As a Slayer, it's his duty to seek out the strongest foes and beasts so that he may die a glorious death in battle. Problem was, with all the monsters and superhumans prowling around Warhammer World, Ungrim had only died in the End Times and there, he even took out a renowned Chaos champion who basically became Chimera Luke Cage. Azog uses his superior size, strength, and speed with a hint of self-taught combat training thrown in while Belegar utilizes his sturdiness in conjunction with superior equipment and immense willpower plus muscles. Both of them can fight well, but only one can decide who has more important skills in this battle. Armor Belegar wears a thick set of plate armor as pictured in his profile, covering his entire body from head to toe. Not the beard, though. His heavy armor somewhat hinders his mobility, but dwarfs have never been the fastest of sprinters anyways. As of his status as a warrior who was fighting in a war the size of Somme (Old World edition), it can be assumed that he wore armor made of gromril or anything close to it that made it stronger than normal plate armor. Gromril is basically Warhammer Fantasy's equivalent of adamantium (NO, it's not as strong as it), considered the hardest metal in the world. Eh, sufficient blunt force would do. For once, Queek's Dwarf Gouger managed to split apart Belegar's head and helmet after he had been weakened. The Gouger is made of magical materials, though. Azog, the brutal badass he is, wears a lighter form of armor made of iron that emphasizes mobility. With his armor on, Azog was still as mobile as he was without armor. Like Belegar, it can be assumed that his armor was made of superior materials compared to his underlings' few cuirass-like plates. And if one noticed in An Unexpected Journey, a glancing blow from a dwarven sword dealt no damage to a random orc. A full-on slash or stab though? Don't expect the armor to take it. Notes *Voting starts on the 26th of January, 2019 and ends on the 14th of February, 2019. *The battle will take place in a small abandoned town not dissimilar to Mordheim of Warhammer: Mordheim and Dale of The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies. None will be familiar with the location. It is set during winter and snow falls upon the area at night. I don't think the darkness will be meaningful for the warriors, but perhaps the town's contents will. Say, a small person can hide behind a cart to ambush an incoming enemy, right? *This battle ends in death. A knockout just won't do for our contestants here. *Make sure y'all finish your votes and on-time, please. Thank you. Battle A decrepit old town lies in the middle of a cold night in winter, with two mysterious moons that glow as brightly as one another hanging above it. No one is in the settlement, but it's quite unsettling to see its tidiness and how its buildings are lit up with a decent amount of lights. Snow falls on to the town in the silent night and strange magical winds blow throughout the lands. The landscape surrounding it isn't exactly natural, as well. Two drastically different mountains flank the town and within them, two separate strongholds are built into. They are both built by dwarves of different worlds: worlds that have collided this very night to settle a long-standing grudge. A small yet stout figure treads through the town's snowy grounds, holding a hammer, shield, and torch. Hailing from Karak Eight Peaks, north of the settlement, Belegar Ironhammer of Clan Angrund has descended from his former rightful seat of power to the town. Before the end of the world, his journey to reclaim his home came to an end when the vile rat-men of Chaos smashed him and his army apart. He isn't sure why he's back to life, but his priority as of now is to find a place other than his cursed city to stay in. As he walks around the town, he investigates the houses and buildings scattered around to find a place to sleep in. Though he is still fresh as if he's in his prime, he prefers to play it safe and not repeat the last mistake he did. After he silently scanned the environment, Belegar approaches a nearby tavern. Oil lamps brightly light up the place, and he can already feel the warmth radiating from inside it. "Is there anyone inside?", Belegar knocks on the door and asks with a neutral tone in the humans' language, keeping down his voice to avoid attracting potential threats. He doesn't know if he's still in the Old World, but from what he knows, many night creatures prowl at this time. Especially when both Morrslieb and Mannslieb hang high and bright upon the skies. Several seconds pass and no response is heard. He once again knocks on the door, three times. After waiting and knocking for multiple times without a response, Belegar decides to just barge in and wreck the locked door with his hammer. Before he can wind up his hammer, however, he instinctively picks up a distinct scent coming somewhere around the town. He can't tell how far, but he can tell whoever has that scent isn't all that far. All those time inside the dungeons of the Eight Peaks has trained his nose to differentiate the smell of his kin, the Greenskins, and the rat-men. His sense suggests that he's picking up the second, but something is unnatural about this one. Whoever is in this town with him, he or she may have to deal with the Ironhammer one way or another. Belegar quickly extinguishes and throws away his torch, taking cover behind a wagon to scout out who's coming his way. A distance away, a figure of immense stature stands tall and walks around the place, a giant ball-and-chain towed on his right hand. He is Azog the Defiler, enemy to the line of Durin and a dark servant of Sauron. Years before his master's demise, he had died on Ravenhill to his nemesis, Thorin Oakenshield, and truly his death was a disappointment to the Dark Lord. While unlikely, Azog believes that his resurrection is a second chance for him to prove his worth in front of Sauron. Azog heard the unmistakable language of the humans, accompanied with a thick accent that suggests the presence of a dwarf, albeit a foreign one. For all the hunts he embarked upon Thorin and his party and Azanulbizar, he has never heard a dwarf like this one. One of Durin's Folk or not, he will take joy in whatever dwarven victim he comes across tonight. Category:Blog posts